I'll be upfront: this bag was an emergency purchase. I was going to Spain for 10 days and, with less than a week to go, realised I didn't have a case or bag to transport my bike. So I did a bit of browsing, weighed up the pros and cons of hard bike boxes versus padded bags, and finally clicked 'buy' on this bag from Brand X.
Priced £59.99 (RRP £89.99) the Brand X padded bike bag is among the cheaper options out there. For many cyclists, the idea of surrendering their pride and joy to the mercies of airline baggage handlers in a glorified holdall would be out of the question, and I can understand that point of view. But this bag may just change your mind.
Soft bags do have a few advantages over bike boxes. They are generally lighter, which is important as airlines usually have rigorously enforced weight limits. The Brand X bag (including wheel bags) weighs in at 6.2kg, which leaves plenty of allowance for not only your bike but other kit too. I managed to get in my bike, shoes, helmet, tools, floor pump and a few jerseys and pairs of shorts - basically all my cycling gear. The bag tipped the airport scales at a shade over 19kg, safely under the 20kg allowance.
Travelling incognito
Secondly, a regular soft case looks relatively inconspicuous - it doesn't scream 'bike' like some hard cases. Combined with the low weight, this meant I was able to check my bag in with Easyjet as normal hold luggage rather than sports equipment, saving £35. (Admittedly, I don't think I was fooling anyone when I rocked up to the check in desk with a giant floppy bag over my shoulder. On the way out the check-in guy did ask what was in the bag - "work equipment" - while on the way back I was asked to "put my bike on the scales". Neither member of staff seemed fussed, but maybe I was just lucky.)
Lower cost is another advantage of a bike bag over hard case - albeit, of course, one that is negated if your bike is destroyed in transit.
And finally, although it is difficult to substantiate this, some people claim that a soft bag is less likely to be subjected to abuse in the hold, because it is difficult to stack things on top of it. Show a baggage handler a hard case though, and their eyes will light up as it enters a game of luggage Tetris with all the other hard, heavy, boxy baggage.
In my limited previous experience of flying with bikes I have found this theory to be borne out. I once flew to Morocco with my steel touring bike in a CTC plastic bike bag, the frame protected by foam pipe tubing. The plastic bag suffered a few tears but the bike was fine (the only damage it sustained on the trip was a minor scratch when it was crammed into the hold of a bus).
The Brand X bag is in a different league to those CTC plastic bags, but I was still nervous as I watched my bag disappear down the conveyor belt.
What's it made of?
So what exactly are you entrusting your precious bicycle to?
The Brand X bike bag is constructed of heavy-duty woven polyester. It's reassuringly tough - not the sort of material you can imagine tearing easily - and also quite well padded. The inside of the bag has a shiny silver lining that is easy to wipe down if you need to clean it. It generally feels well constructed with good stitching and rugged zippers.
The main compartment measures a spacious 1280 x 750 x 200mm. I guess the bag has been designed to fit all but perhaps the biggest bikes; it certainly swallowed my 55cm (medium) road bike with plenty of room to spare. As with any bike bag or case, a degree of disassembly is needed first. I removed the rear derailleur and taped it to the chainstay in a layer of bubblewrap. I also removed the bars, turned the forks sideways and taped the bars to the top tube. Pedals and chain came off and were placed in a plastic bag.
You'll probably have to remove or at least lower your seatpost. I removed mine (with saddle attached), put a bit of foam tube around it and wedged it between the seat stays to stop it rattling around in transit. One part of your bike that will definitely need extra protection is the chainset; I slipped another piece of foam over the large chainring to prevent the sharp teeth resting directly on the bottom of the bag.
As for the wheels, these fitted neatly (with tyres deflated) into the two padded wheel bags that are included with the bag. These wheel bags are excellent. They are made of the same heavy-duty material as the bag itself, and each one has a large zipped pocket on the inside for skewers. They have a sturdy PVC disc in the centre to protect your hubs and prevent axles or quick release skewers poking through (if you leave them fitted). The wheel bags also have carrying straps attached, which is useful if you want to use them on their own.
Although the padding of the bag seemed decent, I took the precaution of covering as much of the carbon frame as possible with some foam pipe tubing. This stuff is ideal for wrapping bike frames, and cheap. You can find it at Wickes or any plumbers merchants, and I wouldn't think of using a soft bike bag without it.
In terms of extra storage, inside the bag there are eight large zipped pockets for stowing your other kit. The bag also comes with a tool roll, which is a nice touch although it will only really fit individual allen keys in the narrow elasticated pockets. On the return trip I used to wrap a chorizo.
All told, packing at either end took about half an hour. Now, how does it roll?
Reasonably, is the answer, although here I feel a rigid bike case would have the advantage. The Brand X bag does have two wheels at one end, and a handle on the other end so that you can pull it along behind you. It also comes with removable straps so you can carry it over your shoulder, but this is not really practical over anything but the shortest of distances. On a smooth surface - like the airport departures hall - I found the wheels worked well, but out on the pavement the bag occasionally tried to fall over. This may be due to the way I'd packed it - fully loaded it did look like a bit of a misshapen pudding, but the lack of any internal frame makes this hard to avoid.
Make the calculation
The proof of the pudding is in the eating - or, in this case, the beating that your bag and bike will take in transit. In this respect the Brand-X bag passed its first test with flying colours. After two flights (London to Malaga and back), the bag is in pristine condition with not a mark on it. More importantly of course, the bike is also unscathed.
So would I recommend this bag for travelling with your bicycle? Well, a nagging part of me feels that only a hard case will offer true peace of mind. But if you've weighed the risks, 'made the calculation' and are happy to go with a padded bag, then I would say yes, absolutely: the Brand X bike bag is a solid choice, offering a reasonable level of protection and truly excellent value.
Score: 8/10
Brand X Complete Bike & Wheel Bags £59.99 from Chain Reaction Cycles.
0 Comments